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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28099893">Will o’ the Wisp</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TammyRenH/pseuds/TammyRenH'>TammyRenH</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - High School, Boys Kissing, Fae &amp; Fairies, Hurt/Comfort, Language, M/M, Magic, Original Character(s), fae!Jensen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 12:00:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,112</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28099893</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TammyRenH/pseuds/TammyRenH</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>If starting a new school his senior year wasn't bad enough, now Jared was seeing a beautiful green-eyed boy who kept vanishing on him and was probably a very vivid figment of his imagination. Or an alien.</p>
<p>Written for the 2020 round of spn_J2_xmas exchange as a gift for gluedwithgold</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>266</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/gluedwithgold/gifts">gluedwithgold</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Thanks to firesign for the quick and much needed beta! </p>
<p>I hope you like the story gluedwithgold I combined one of your prompts with a few of your likes.</p>
<p>Merry Christmas everyone and thank all the gods this cursed year is almost over!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Jared was one of the first students to enter the classroom, he promptly made his way to the last chair on the back row. He pulled out his Lit book before staring out of the window, ignoring his classmates who talked and laughed as they took their seats.</p>
<p>Starting a new school for senior year sucked. The fact that the new school was much smaller than his old one, had fewer honors classes and no debate team, and where all fifty-three other seniors had known each other since kindergarten or soon after, sucked even more.</p>
<p>Jared was not used to being an outsider. At his old school in San Antonio, he had been a big fish in a big pond. Captain of both the basketball and the debate teams, Junior Class Vice President, voted King of the Junior Prom, even after coming out as gay.</p>
<p>Then came the divorce and the implosion of Jared’s charmed life.</p>
<p>His father moved to wife number two before the ink was dry on the divorce papers, and in the process they lost the house that Jared had grown up in along with his basement bedroom, which had hosted a lot of parties and some epic make-out sessions. Mom landed a post office job in West Creek, TX, population 2,775, which all led to Jared becoming an invisible fish in a small pond.</p>
<p>Just nine months until graduation</p>
<p>Sitting at a desk beside Jared, Justine was whispering very loudly about snobbish newcomers. Jared just ignored her. He knew what she was really upset about was that Jared would most likely usurp her as Valedictorian of the class. Big whoop. He was sure college recruiters would be impressed that he graduated first of a class of fifty-three. They’d be practically knocking his door down.</p>
<p>There were several willow trees in a row right outside the window, planted by school children untold years ago. Weeping willows. Jared knew how they felt. Not that he was being dramatic or anything.</p>
<p>Underneath one of them, a boy sat reading a book. He was tall, slender, with light brown hair. He wasn’t conscious of the fact he was staring until the boy lifted his head and their eyes locked.</p>
<p>It was just like one of those dopey movies his Mom liked to watch, the moment their eyes met the rest of the world just faded away and nothing existed except for the two of them.</p>
<p>He was the most beautiful boy Jared had ever laid eyes on, no, not just the most beautiful boy – the most beautiful person. He looked to be maybe a few years older than Jared. He had wide green eyes, framed by long, pretty eyelashes, sculpted cheekbones, a pretty pink pouty mouth.</p>
<p>He stood up, and the dark jade shirt he was wearing pulled tight across his chest, showing off his taut, trim body His black jeans looked like they had been molded on to him, he was wearing black boots.</p>
<p>He walked toward the building and Jared could see how his legs bowed out, like the old pictures of cowboys in his US history book. And now that he was practically touching the window, he was so close that Jared could see the cutest dashing of freckles across his nose.</p>
<p>Something was pricking his arm, but Jared took no notice. Jared was wondering if the damn window separating them could be opened if he could climb out of it and – </p>
<p>“Jared!”</p>
<p>Jared tore his eyes from the vision that was the boy to see his teacher standing right beside his desk, and she looked pissed. The prickling sensation turned out to be the kid behind him, who had been poking the back of his arm with a pencil, trying to get Jared’s attention.</p>
<p>“I’m not sure what you are finding so fascinating out there,” Ms. Carey said primly, before making her way to the front of the room. “But if you would join the class by turning to page 38 of your textbook, we can get started.”</p>
<p>Jared thought it should be pretty obvious what he had found so fascinating, but when he glanced back toward the window again as he opened his book to the requested page, the boy was gone.</p>
<p>The thing about not having any friends was that he couldn’t ask anyone about the beautiful boy with the green eyes. This school was tiny; certainly someone that damned pretty would stand out in this sea of awkward, acned teens.</p>
<p>For the rest of the day, Jared looked everywhere he went. He searched every classroom, he wandered around the cafeteria at lunchtime twice until one of the football players told him to stop being annoying and sit down already, he looked through every open door of every room he passed. The boy was nowhere to be found.</p>
<p>By the time he made his way home after school, he about halfway convinced himself he daydreamed the boy.</p>
<p>The next day, Jared was walking down the hallway toward his locker between first and second period, and there – leaning against Jared’s locker – was the boy.</p>
<p>Trying to give himself a second to think of something clever to say, Jared stopped walking just long enough for a student to hit him solidly in the back. “Watch where you are going,” the kid snarled like Jared had hit him instead of the oaf hitting Jared, and when Jared looked back at his locker, the boy was gone again.</p>
<p>Jared was late for second period, because he walked the length of the hallway searching, even looking in the janitor’s closet, but no freckled boy.</p>
<p>When he opened his locker before lunch, there was a single flower inside of it.</p>
<p>It didn’t look like any flower Jared had ever seen before, and the color of it reminded Jared of the mysterious boy’s eyes. Most unusual of all, it glowed faintly, a dim green light that emanated from the pistil.</p>
<p>Jared didn’t know whether to be creeped out, or to be flattered, or to wear the flower in his hair. Or maybe take it to the science lab and have it checked for radioactivity. What the hell kind of flower glowed?</p>
<p>He skipped lunch, instead sitting under the same tree the boy had been sitting under when he first saw him, and wondered what the boy was trying to tell him with this single green glowy flower.</p>
<p>By the time lunch was over, the flower had stopped glowing. It crumbled into nothingness soon after that.</p>
<p>Days passed. Sometimes Jared thought he saw a glimpse of the boy, and twice more he opened his locker to find a green flower sitting on top of his books, but the boy remained elusive.</p>
<p>There were woods near the school - every day Jared passed them on his way to and from school and tried not to think about bears. Big bears. Big black bears. Hungry big black bears.</p>
<p>Generally, Jared hurried past the woods and tried to pretend they weren’t there.</p>
<p>But today, he looked over at them long enough to ensure that no bears were lurking and saw the back of a light brown-haired boy disappear into them.</p>
<p>It was the boy, he knew it.  </p>
<p>But also, bears.</p>
<p>Jared hesitated about five seconds before following the boy into the woods. And regretted it very soon after.</p>
<p>Jared had no experience with woods. His father had never been the outdoorsy type, Jared hadn’t joined the scouts, and though he liked to hike, the hikes generally took place in well-trodden paths in state parks.</p>
<p>So, with the tall trees hiding the sun, the branches trying to take huge bites out of his arm, and all those damn roots that he kept stumbling over, he became disorientated pretty quickly.</p>
<p>Also, there were a lot of rustling noises. Did bears rustle? Maybe that was their sign that they were about to attack, rustle a few branches, work up an appetite, have a lost teenaged boy as a snack.</p>
<p>How the fuck did people find their way out of these trees? There was no sun to follow, every part of the woods looked like every other part. Wasn’t he supposed to leave like breadcrumbs or something?</p>
<p>He was rounding the corner from being deeply worried to outright panic when he heard his name being called. </p>
<p>He didn’t recognize the voice, but it was coming from his left.</p>
<p>“Keep shouting!” Jared yelled back. “I’m trying to find you.”</p>
<p>He had gone quite a ways before the thought occurred that following strange voices was probably how people ended up on the evening news with a big Missing banner across their school picture.</p>
<p>Still, it was either strange-voice-guy or the bears, so Jared kept following.</p>
<p>Besides, Jared was the tallest kid in his school, hell probably the tallest in this teeny tiny excuse of a town. He could take the person behind the voice. </p>
<p>Probably.</p>
<p>The voice kept yelling his name. </p>
<p>It could be his boy.</p>
<p>Not <i> his  </i> boy, of course. He didn’t even know the guy, so it was really stupid he was thinking of the boy as – </p>
<p>Jared pushed past a tree with particularly prickly branches and found himself free from the woods.</p>
<p>He stood there for a moment, letting his heart rate return to normal, not that he had been scared, not really, just – excited a bit.</p>
<p>Whoever had been calling his name wasn’t there.</p>
<p>But when he looked down, five green flowers were lying directly in front of his feet.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Feeling left out and lost makes you do crazy things.</p><p>Like joining the yearbook staff.</p><p>He had been so startled when Dani, the red-headed girl that frankly Jared was a bit intimidated by, asked him to join that he had just blurted out yes, and now here he was after school, sitting in front of the computer and trying to center the picture of the 4-H club. It was by far the biggest club in the school.</p><p>Being on the yearbook staff meant he had access to every picture of every school team, club, and class. And none of the pictures were of a light brown-haired boy with green eyes and freckles</p><p>“Okay, that’s it for today,” Dani announced. The yearbook advisor, Mrs. Howes, looked relieved, she had been restless and obviously itching to leave for the last thirty minutes. Jared made very sure to hit save before shutting down the computer. The last unlucky member of the yearbook staff that had forgotten to save something, Dani had taken aside to explain how disappointed she was in him. That kid hadn’t been the same since.</p><p>They were in the parking lot, already dispersing into different directions, when Jared remembered his phone, still lying beside the computer.</p><p>“Here,” Mrs. Howe said, pulling off one of the many keys on her key ring and handing it to Jared. “You can give it back to me tomorrow.”</p><p>Jared wondered just how many kids had keys to the school building, which had double doors on each side of the building and nothing in the way of security alarms, cameras, or guards.</p><p>So different from his old school.</p><p>He missed Barry, the big beefy security guard at his old school who was always teasing him about how tall Jared was, telling him if he ever spotted trouble, he would just hide behind Jared. </p><p>He missed being teased.</p><p>Jared unlocked the door and made his way down the dark hallway to the journalism classroom, which doubled as the yearbook room. It was kinda creepy, the way his footsteps were so loud, the dark shadows around the lockers, the opened doors into silent classrooms.</p><p>He was relieved to make it into the journalism room and turned on the lights.</p><p>And there, holding Jared’s phone in his hand as he sat on top of one of the desks, swinging his legs, was Mystery Boy.</p><p>“Are you real?” Jared blurted out and fuck, could he sound lamer? Like if he tried really hard?</p><p>The boy smiled, and Jared’s heart skipped a few beats because there was beautiful and then there was so beyond beautiful there were no words. This boy’s smile was the second one. The boy hopped down from the desk, holding out Jared’s phone to him.</p><p>“Hi, Jared,” the boy greeted him. When Jared made no attempt to take the phone from him, because it was hard to move when your brain had totally shut down, the boy grabbed one of Jared’s hands, turned it so it was palm up, and deposited the phone into it. Then the boy’s fingers trailed over Jared’s wrist and Jared felt a buzz, like a low thrum of electricity, through his entire body. Considering the way the boy’s eyes widened and the way he shivered; he felt the same thing.</p><p>”How do you know my name?” Jared asked</p><p>”You called to me,” the boy answered. ”You called to me and I came.”</p><p>”I'm pretty sure I didn't call to you, since I don't even know what to call you.”</p><p>“My name is Jensen,” the boy said. “And I'm very, very happy to finally meet you.”</p><p>He stepped closer to Jared with each utterance of the word very, until he was close enough that Jared could see every freckle on his face, could feel the boy’s – Jensen’s – breath on his skin, could see the way Jensen’s lips were shiny as if he had recently licked – </p><p>“There you are,” Dani said. “What are you doing that is taking so long? And please tell me it’s not jerking off because then I would be forced to grab some scissors and start cutting off offending body parts.”</p><p>Jared startled and turned toward Dani who was standing in the open doorway. ”What are you doing here?”</p><p>“Looking for you, obviously. You walk around like a little lost puppy all the time; it makes me feel kinda protective toward you and I can’t tell you how much that upsets me.”</p><p>“Uh…” Jared said brilliantly, then remembered Jensen. He turned around and wasn’t anywhere near as surprised as he should have been that Jensen had once again vanished.</p><p>“Let’s go, big guy,” Dani ordered, already turning off the lights for the classroom. “I have a hot date tonight.”</p><p>They parted ways a few blocks from the school, and Jared walked the rest of the way toward his house, thinking about his encounter with Jensen.</p><p>Jensen either had really good hiding skills, or he had vanished into thin air.</p><p>It was like that Buffy episode, the one with the lonely kid that nobody noticed who became invisible. But instead of Jared becoming invisible, it was the one boy who had actually noticed him who kept vanishing.</p><p>Okay, it was nothing like the Buffy episode. But thinking about it gave Jared an excuse to watch Buffy again.</p><p>It wasn’t like he had anything better to do.</p><p>Except be alone with his thoughts, and the very real possibility that he had allowed himself to fall for a very vivid figment of his imagination.</p><p>At least his imagination had really good taste in really hot boys.</p><p>“Hey, Gigantor,” a voice called out.</p><p>Figuring the chances were fairly good the voice meant him, Jared turned toward the sound.</p><p>He recognized the kid from a few of his classes, hella cute but not Jared’s type, a bit of a class clown. Chad something-or-another.</p><p>“You play basketball?” Chad asked, bouncing his a few times. “Please tell me you play basketball. It’s my senior year. I want to go to state at least once before I graduate.”</p><p>“Yeah, I play,” Jared confirmed. Tryouts were next week, he had already written his name on the sign-in sheet, a fact he bet Chad already knew.</p><p>“Awesome,” Chad replied. “Wanna come over here and show me what you’ve got?”</p><p>Why not? Jared was a bit rusty, and it was the first time any kid in this town had done anything but ignore him. Except for Dani, who had apparently decided he was some kind of pet.</p><p>Jared quickly texted his mom, shrugged off his backpack, and joined Chad on Chad’s driveway. There was only one basketball hoop. Chad took a shot, made it. Jared dunked the ball. Chad whistled. “Okay jolly green, I guess you can stay.”</p><p>They traded off shots for a bit before Jared found the courage to ask the question. “Do you know a guy named Jensen? About your height, green eyes, freckles?”</p><p>“I’ve lived in this town my whole life, nobody like that has ever lived here. I’d remember the name alone. What kind of goofy ass name is Jensen?”</p><p>Jared shrugged, dribbled, made the shot, and tossed the ball to Chad.</p><p>“So, you into boys?” Chad asked, a tad too casually.</p><p>Coming out once had been kind of nerve-wracking, exciting, even kind of fun. Coming out again and again was exhausting.</p><p>“Yes, I’m gay,” Jared responded because nobody was ever going to shove him into a closet. He was sure the whole school would know by the morning. And who cared? It wasn’t like they could shun him any more than they already were.</p><p>“Okay,” Chad replied and tossed the ball back to Jared. “Wanna play around the world?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jared went a week without seeing any sign of Jensen, and no more than three waking minutes without thinking about him.</p><p>Basketball tryouts were held, Jared made the team, and suddenly the fact that he was an outsider didn’t seem to matter as much to the kids at his school. Dani rolled her eyes and told him she thought Jared had better taste than making friends with imbeciles like Chad, but Chad turned out to be a lot of fun to be around. Jared wasn’t sitting alone at lunch anymore, was actually invited to a party at Jason’s house that weekend, and, although Justine had not warmed to him in the least, it was nice to feel he was part of something again.</p><p>And the best thing was, being busy with yearbook and basketball and hanging out at Chad’s after school didn’t leave any time for brooding about probably imaginary green-eyed boys.</p><p>Well, not much time anyway.</p><p>On that Thursday, Mom got a call from her sister. Mary had been taking her dog for a walk, but tripped over him and fell down a hill, breaking her shoulder in the processShe would be having surgery the next day and needed someone to watch the twins, Jared’s eight-year-old cousins. Mom was driving to Missouri, but Jared was staying home. He had a party to go to, would have the whole house to himself, and planned to stuff himself with endless amounts of frozen pizza and junk food.</p><p>There were rules of course. He still had a curfew. No parties. He had to answer all texts and calls promptly.</p><p>Friday after delivering the mail, Mom headed out. Saturday, Jared did his best impression of a slug, sitting on the couch wrapped in a blanket it wasn’t really cold enough for him to need, snacks within reaching distance, and alternating between playing games on his Playstation and watching mindless television. Chad came over at dinner time, they made the most disgusting dinner they could think of and piled the pillows on the floor as they played several fast and furious games of Mario Kart.</p><p>Saturday night was the party. It wasn’t as much fun as Jared had hoped. First, Jason’s parents were on hand, so shenanigans were at a minimum and there was no alcohol. It was the first truly chilly night of the year, so the pool was out. There were no green-eyed bewitching boys, no matter how hard he looked for one. And worse of all, he had a headache that he couldn’t shake, even after taking a couple of pain relievers. And no sane person wanted to be around Chad while they had a headache.</p><p>This all led to Jared being home a full hour before curfew, and in bed before midnight, and what a waste of being young and free.</p><p>He slept restlessly, instead of like a log which was his normal. The next morning the headache was worse, he was shivering, and he barely made it to the bathroom before losing everything he had eaten in the last few days in two spectacularly un-fun fashions.</p><p>His Mom sent him a text saying that Mary was doing well after her surgery but was still in the hospital, and how she was enjoying spending time with the twins. He couldn’t make her feel guilty by telling her how he felt like shit and all he wanted was his Mama (sad, but very, very true) so instead, he just texted back that he wasn’t feeling so hot and wasn’t going out with Chad as originally planned.</p><p>She called immediately after getting the text even though he downplayed how bad he felt, and Jared managed to convince her that he was pretty much okay (even though he couldn’t help but whine a bit) and was going back to bed.</p><p>He took some NyQuil and more pain relievers and laid back down.</p><p>He woke up feeling worse. The rest of Sunday was spent in a haze of aching all over, along with many, many trips to the bathroom, and Jared feeling very, very sorry for himself.</p><p>He didn’t make it to school on Monday. Thank heavens his body had stopped trying to empty itself out because it was as empty as it could get, but he still felt like crap. He made it from his bed, which felt and smelled gross, to the living room couch. And he was considering calling his mother to find out just how you made a doctor’s appointment, and couldn’t she make it for him, and then like get home really fast and take him when the air in front of him sort of shimmered and there was Jensen where Jensen hadn’t been a few seconds before.</p><p>“I still don’t think you are real,” Jared said petulantly and then coughed, because yes, the coughing continuously was a fun new symptom.</p><p>Jensen smiled but his eyes looked worried. “You weren’t at school today.”</p><p>“I don’t feel good,” Jared flat-out-whined in response. “And my Mom is out of town and my bed is gross and I am hungry, but I can’t even look at food and why do you keep disappearing?”</p><p>Jensen put a hand on Jared’s forehead. “You are burning up. I’m going to make you some tea, it should help.”</p><p>“Can you help me if you aren’t even real?” Jared asked doubtfully.</p><p>Jensen leaned over, kissed the spot on Jared's forehead his hand had just left. Jared felt a pleasant tingle all the way down to his toes and decided a boyfriend that can give tingles like that was worth it, even if he was imaginary. ”I’m going to take such good care of you,” Jensen promised.</p><p>The tea was delicious, and unlike anything Jared had ever tasted. His stomach, blessedly, did not rebel, and Jensen went upstairs to change Jared’s sheets and air out his room while Jared continued to sip on the tea.</p><p>By the time Jensen came back downstairs, and started a load of laundry, the tea was gone, and Jared was feeling almost human again.</p><p>Jensen got him another cup of tea and then sat on the couch beside him. “Are you feeling any better?”</p><p>“Much,” Jared affirmed, and to his surprise it was true. “What was in the tea anyway? Is there a weird side effect I should know about? Like will my dick shrivel up or will I grow an extra arm or something?”</p><p>Jensen laughed. “It’s just tea.”</p><p>“Hm,” Jared replied, taking another sip. “Alien tea maybe.”</p><p>“So, you think I’m an alien?” Jensen asked, wrapping an arm around Jared’s shoulder, and even though Jared had to scrunch up a bit and slide closer to Jensen to make it work, it still felt nice.</p><p>“Alien,” Jared confirmed. “Or that invisible girl from Buffy.”</p><p>“I am definitely not an invisible girl,” Jensen replied.</p><p>Jared was feeling all warm and cozy inside; his stomach had settled, his cough was gone, even that damn headache had gone away. With Jensen so close, and his arm around Jared’s shoulder, Jared was feeling pretty warm and cozy on the outside as well.</p><p>“I looked but I couldn't find you,” Jared said softly, taking another sip of the tea. His eyes were drooping, he could feel sleep closing in, but he wanted to make sure Jensen knew this. “I looked all over for you. Every day. Everywhere. Please don’t leave me again.”</p><p>“Just sleep now,” Jensen said, his arm rubbing Jared’s shoulder soothingly. “We will talk later.”</p><p>It was nighttime when Jared woke again. He was lying on the couch, a pillow that hadn’t been there before under his head, the quilt his mother kept in the spare room covering him.</p><p>It took a few moments to comprehend that the insistent noise that had woken him, was the ringing of his phone.</p><p>“Hello,” he mumbled into it as he sat up.</p><p>“Finally, I thought I was going to have to send the police over to check on you. I’ve been calling for over an hour,” his mother said.</p><p>“Sorry, I fell asleep,” Jared explained, pushing the quilt off of him. The house was still and quiet and Jared’s heart dropped. Jensen had disappeared – again.</p><p>“Are you feeling any better? I’m about halfway home now, I was going to stop for the night. But if you need me to, I can drive straight through. I'll take you to see a doctor, let her check you over.” </p><p>“No need, I’m fine. Really. I feel so much better,” Jared replied, truthfully. Other than feeling a bit sluggish the effects from the flu, or whatever that had been, were gone.</p><p>He heard a noise and looked over to the kitchen doorway to see Jensen standing there, an apron wrapped around his waist. Jensen hadn’t disappeared after all.</p><p>He made more quick reassurances to his mother and hung up the phone. He stood up, walked over to Jensen. “You stayed.”</p><p>“I stayed,” Jensen confirmed. “I made soup if you are hungry.”</p><p>“And he cooks too,” Jared said teasingly. ”And that apron looks adorable on you.”</p><p>“Or I could just throw it out,” Jensen warned.</p><p>“No, no, I’ll be good.” Jared followed Jensen into the kitchen. There was something heavenly smelling on the stove. </p><p>Two bowls were placed on the small kitchen table, along with a loaf of what appeared to be freshly baked bread. “For an imaginary friend, you are fucking amazing,” Jared said, grabbing the loaf and breaking off one end and promptly placing it into his mouth. “Or, if you are an alien instead and this is how they cook where you come from, then take me away, invisible alien guy.”</p><p>Jensen shook his head, but his smile was fond. “Sit, you still don’t look all that steady on your feet.”</p><p>After two bowls of soup and more than his fair share of the loaf of bread, Jared was feeling pleasantly full.</p><p>“So, are you going to tell me about the alien thing?” Jared asked after they stacked the bowls in the dishwasher and placed the remnants of the vegetable soup in the refrigerator. The bread was gone, except for a few crumbs which Jared was tempted to scoop up with his fingers and eat. “And maybe explain why you keep disappearing?”</p><p>“Let’s sit back on the couch,” Jensen suggested. Jared followed him into the living room, where they both sat down, almost close enough to touch, but not quite.</p><p>“The reason I haven’t been around, was because I’ve been meeting with resistance at home. My brethren disapprove of this – us,” Jensen explained, indicating the two of them.</p><p>“There’s an us?” Jared asked, not at all displeased by the notion.</p><p>Jensen reached up, touched Jared’s cheek. Just like the first time they touched, there was an instant spark that shivered its way through Jared’s body. “I know you feel that.”</p><p>“I do,” Jared confirmed. ”But I still need answers. No one here has ever heard of you. It’s almost as if I am the only one who can see you.”</p><p>”You are the only one who can see me. And you shouldn’t be able to. What do you know about the fae?”</p><p>Jared was puzzled about the sudden change of subject. ”Little creatures with wings?”</p><p>”So, nothing then,” Jensen sighed. ”I’m not surprised. Secrecy is how we survived when so many others are no more. We’ve long known that humans are the most dangerous creatures of all.”</p><p>”Are you trying to tell me you aren’t human?” Jared asked, feeling he should feel more freaked out about this conversation. Still, he loved fantasy books and was more than a little intrigued about the idea of creatures he had read about being real. Plus, when you considered the mysterious glowing flowers and the magically invisible (at times) boy sitting beside him, Jensen being something other than human kinda made sense.</p><p>“I’m trying to tell you I am fae, and you are my intended,” Jensen replied, looking softly into Jared’s eyes as if his words explained everything.</p><p>“This makes less sense than my alien theory,” Jared remarked, even as he scooted closer to Jensen, wanting to touch Jensen, and be touched, wanting to feel that shivery spark again. </p><p>His would-be boyfriend was a mythical creature.</p><p>He was living in a young adult sci-fi novel, and he was the heroine.</p><p>“You would rather I tell you I am alien?” Jensen asked. “I’m fae. My people are fae. I am not supposed to be here, I am not supposed to want you, I am not supposed to be telling you any of this.”</p><p>“Then why are you?” Jared asked.</p><p>“Because you are the reason I was drawn to this place. You are the one that called to me over and over until I felt compelled to answer the call. You are my intended.”</p><p>“I’m 17,” Jared pointed out. “I don’t think I am intended-ready.”</p><p>“I didn’t mean we should commit ourselves today,” Jensen said, pushing away a stray lock of hair from Jared’s forehead. “I am just telling you my truth. If you cannot accept my truth, I will understand. I know our ways are different than yours.”</p><p>Jensen let go of Jared’s hands, the air shimmered and two of the green flowers Jensen had been leaving Jared formed in front of his eyes. ”They are will-o’-the-wisps,” Jensen explained. ”Where I come from, they represent a promise between lovers. This is my promise to you, regardless of whether or not we end up together, whenever you need me, I’ll be there.”</p><p>”Just like you were today, ” Jared said, and Jensen smiled at him, and suddenly having a fae as a boyfriend seemed like the best thing ever.</p><p>The air shimmered once more, and Jared’s lap was covered with will-o’-the-wisps, all faintly glowing, just like Jensen’s eyes.</p><p>“So, you have magic,” Jared said.</p><p>“Not that kind you are thinking of - I can’t make things disappear or pull a card out of your ear or turn a person into a frog. But what is inherent to us, I can access.”</p><p>“And the tea and the soup, magic too?”</p><p>“Not so much, just herbs with healing properties that I brought over,” Jensen replied. “Nothing harmful I swear.”</p><p>“Are there other fae out there?” Jared asked. “How come no one knows about you?”</p><p>“Long ago, my kind traveled often between this world and ours, mixed freely with humans, saw and were seen. Humans, though, fear what they don’t understand. We knew that about them, we knew to hide our magic, and for the most part, we were successful. But magic is innate to us, as natural as breathing, and it was perhaps inevitable that an act of kindness by a fae trying to help an injured child, was misinterpreted as witchcraft.”</p><p>”The fae were in Salem?” Jared asked.</p><p>”This was before what happened in Salem. It was back when burning witches was so common it barely caused a stir in the town it took place in. Before it was over, five so-called witches were burned at the stake.Three were fae, two were humans who had been unlucky enough to befriend the fae.”</p><p>Jared looked down at the flowers with their small glowy lights. Even today he knew there were people who would see their beauty and because they would not understand it, would mistake it for evil.</p><p>”I told you that I only have the magic that is innate within me, for almost all of my kind that is true. But there is a fae named Timron who possesses magic stronger by far than other faes. He created a cloaking spell so powerful that it has seeped into our very beings. Traveling between our worlds and yours is frowned upon, discouraged, but when we travel, we are cloaked. What humans cannot see, they cannot harm.”</p><p>“But I can see you,” Jared pointed out, taking Jensen’s hand in his. “And you came here.”</p><p>“A few weeks before the first time we saw each other, I began to feel a tug, a need to visit this world. It had never happened to me before. I was happy in my home, happy to be amongst my people, and although I had not found love yet, I just believed it was a matter of time. I tried to ignore the feeling at first, aware of the dangers, but it was constant. More than once, I found myself standing at the gateway between our worlds.”</p><p>Jensen squeezed Jared’s hand and continued. ”The first time I crossed, late at night when no one was near, I found your world overwhelming. We don't have school in any fashion that resembles yours, but we value knowledge. There are many books about humans, about how you live, recent ones too by fae we call the observers. But reading about traffic and stepping on to a street swarming with people, bicycles, and big cars that could slice you into are two quite different experiences.”</p><p>”Are there bears in your world?” Jared asked.</p><p>”We share our world with many animals, some of which are quite large,” Jensen replied. ”But no bears, although I have seen pictures of them.”</p><p>”Bears are far scarier than cars,” Jared declared. </p><p>“Noted,” Jensen replied. “Should I continue or do you want to discuss bears more?”</p><p>Jared waved a hand airily. “You may continue.”</p><p>“The first few times I crossed, I did not get far before hurrying back to the comfort of my world. But the feeling never left me, and I went to talk to one of the observers. He gave me his blessing, told me that if I was being called, that it would be wrong for me not to heed the call. He had crossed over many times in order to complete his study of humans. He even gave me a book he had written. So I crossed again, during the day, and brought the book with me as a guide. I was reading it when I felt your eyes on me, and I knew immediately you were the reason I was called here.”</p><p>“Because we are intended,” Jared supplied. </p><p>“Yes. It is the reason you can see me when others can’t.” Jensen’s fingers were rubbing against Jared’s hand in a soothing gesture. “I’m sorry I keep disappearing. My life is simple, or it was simple before I was drawn to you, and all of this is a bit overwhelming.”</p><p>“Are all fae as pretty as you?” Jared asked. “Also, are you like ever going to kiss me?”</p><p>Jensen smiled, leaned closer. “So, you are okay with me being fae?”</p><p>“I would be more okay if you would just – “</p><p>Jensen’s lips pressed against his.</p><p>Holy hell of all hells.</p><p>Jared had been kissed before, but nothing like this. The second their lips touched, he was infused by heat and want and a desperate need to get closer to Jensen. Every nerve in his body was gloriously, beautifully alive.</p><p>He pressed closer to Jensen, wrapped his arms around him, and pulled him in. Jensen went willingly, letting out a groan that had heat pooling deep in Jared’s belly.</p><p>They kissed for minutes, hours, who knew, so wrapped up in each other that time ceased to exist.</p><p>They broke apart, both flushed and breathing heavily, lips swollen. “I’ve got to go,” Jensen said reluctantly.</p><p>“No, don’t go,” Jared pleaded. “Don’t disappear on me again. Please stay. Please, Jensen.”</p><p>“Those eyes of yours,” Jensen reached up, and touched Jared’s flushed cheek. “How could I ever say no to you?”</p><p>“Then don’t. Stay. Not to – we don’t have to; I know we aren’t ready for – just stay,” Jared requested again, words rushing out in an incoherent heap.</p><p>Jensen nodded. “Okay, I’ll stay.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jared woke up, wrapped up in Jensen’s arms. The tingling feeling he had experienced every time they touched was still there, but at a low reassuring hum.</p><p>“Good morning,” Jared said, as Jensen opened his eyes too. For a moment, they just stared at each other and smiled and Jared felt ridiculously happy. ”We slept together so now we are boyfriends. I don’t make the rules.”</p><p>Jensen’s smile was so bright it almost hurt Jared’s eyes. “You won’t hear any arguments from me. Although sleeping together on our first date is a tad naughty.”</p><p>Jared scrunched up his nose. “Date? I don’t think so. Dinner and the movies, that’s a date. Hiking and a picnic, also acceptable as a date. Taking me to a theme park or the zoo or an aquarium, all dates.”</p><p>“If you sleep with me when we haven’t even been on a date, no telling what you will do if I actually take you out on one. Maybe we shouldn’t risk it,” Jensen teased and then they both froze as they heard the unmistakable sound of a car pulling in the driveway.</p><p>“Fuck,” Jared swore, hurrying out of bed to check through his window, Yes, it was his mother’s car.</p><p>Jensen was pulling on his pants, slipping into his shoes. “I really have to go.”</p><p>“Will you be in trouble?” Jared asked. “With your people?”</p><p>The sound of a car door slamming.</p><p>“They will not be happy, but I am of age so they will have to accept my decision, no matter how unwise or foolish they believe it to be.” Jensen pulled Jared into a quick kiss. “I promise I will return soon.”</p><p>“You'd better,” Jared said, kissing him back. The front door opened; Jared’s mother was already calling out his name. Jared felt Jensen pulling away and a few seconds later he had vanished. Jared stood there for a moment, letting himself feel the loss.</p><p>Dating a fae was the best thing ever, and the worst thing ever.</p><p>Jensen was fun to be around, sweet with just enough of a hint of a bite to be interesting, and definitely easy on the eyes. Plus, a damn good kisser. Like, really, really good at kissing.</p><p>But Jared was the only one who could see him. He couldn’t exactly go to his Mom and say, “Hey, meet my boyfriend. You can’t see him, but take my word for it, he’s there.” It would be weird, if they went out to eat, or to the movies, because everyone would think that he was there alone. It would get awkward when they thought Jared was laughing at something only he could hear. And he laughed a lot because Jensen was funny as fuck. Jensen loved it when Jared got embarrassed, so Jensen was always making a face or telling a joke, or, cruelly, tickling Jared after he found out just how ticklish Jared was.</p><p>His boyfriend is a fiend.</p><p>His boyfriend. He has a boyfriend.</p><p>The next weekend was Halloween. His Mom had retired early with a book in hand, warning Jared not to eat too much of the candy or he’d get a belly ache. </p><p>Jared was on his fourth mini snickers when he spotted Jensen outside. Jensen grinned at him, faded, and a few moments later was standing beside Jared. “Neat trick,” Jared said, before pulling Jensen into a kiss.</p><p>“Hmm, you taste like chocolate,” Jensen murmured before kissing Jared again. “Only works small distances. I had to walk from the gateway to your yard.”</p><p>“The sacrifices you make for me,” Jared replied teasingly. “Walking instead of using your little fairy wings.”</p><p>Jensen narrowed his eyes. “I don’t have - “</p><p>There was a knock on the door, followed closely by the unmistakable sound of giggling. Jared reached in the bowl of candy, careful not to pick up any of the snickers, and flung open the door.</p><p>Behind him, Jensen’s hands were reaching under his shirt, stroking over his side, near his stomach.</p><p>Three little girls stood on his doorstep, all dressed as princesses. By far Jared’s favorite was the one dressed as Princess Leia. Jared leaned over to drop candy in their bags, just as Jensen began tickling him in earnest.</p><p>“Why is your face all scrunched up like that?” one of the girls asked as Jared tried to force back a very undignified giggle. </p><p>“Because I’m hungry,” Jared replied. “And my favorite thing to eat is little girls wearing tiaras!”</p><p>The girls shrieked and ran back to their parents laughing.</p><p>Jared grabbed on to Jensen’s fingers and squeezed.</p><p>“You looked so good all bent over like that, I couldn’t resist making you squirm,” Jensen said frankly uncontrite as Jared turned to face him.</p><p>“You know, you are lucky you are so hot,” Jared said, wrapping his arms around Jensen’s shoulders.</p><p>“You got that backwards,” Jensen said, pushing up on his tiptoes to kiss Jared. “Because I am so hot, you are the lucky one.”</p><p>Another knock on the door, Jared groaned. </p><p>This time, he just picked up the bowl and pushed it into the hands of the startled power ranger. ”Take what you want, leave the rest for the next kid.” </p><p>He shut the door again, turned his attention back to Jensen. ”Now where we? Oh, that's right, you were telling me how hot you are.”</p><p>Jensen grabbed his hand, led him to the couch, and pushed him down. Jared went willingly and was rewarded by a lap full of Jensen. ”I guess you are pretty hot too, ” Jensen said before crushing their lips together.</p><p>Halloween had never been sweeter. </p><p>He never knew when Jensen was going to appear. And when he did, sometimes Jensen spent hours with him, sometimes only minutes. </p><p>And Jared had school, and basketball practice, and then it was the final push to put the yearbook together.</p><p>There never seemed to be enough time, they always seemed to be saying goodbye.</p><p>October slipped into November, the holidays were approaching. Jensen had read about them in books, but was excited to experience them for himself.</p><p>Jared’s Mom ordered Thanksgiving dinner from a nearby restaurant; no use doing all that cooking for just the two of them, she said. Three, thought Jared, but he couldn't say it out loud. Jared did bring out the puppy eyes, and she sighed, patted his arm, and baked him his favorite pie. Jared snuck Jensen a piece of his mother’s heavenly pecan pie later that night, and they sat outside, snuggling together for warmth, as Jared “helped” Jensen eat it.</p><p>Jensen didn't talk a lot about his home, and Jared, despite his curiosity, didn't like to push. He did learn that Jensen’s folk were musical, and Jensen had loved music since he was very young. He was fascinated by music in Jared’s world, and they spent hours watching PBS specials about the blues, country, rock. Jensen even sang to him sometimes, songs Jared had never heard before, and it was no surprise that his voice was so pure and beautiful that it made Jared’s heart hurt.</p><p>Jensen began to seem withdrawn at times a few weeks after Thanksgiving, and sometimes it was two or three days between visits. One night, as they sat on the bed in Jared’s room whispering softly, Jensen admitted that the opposition to him spending time with Jared was growing. </p><p>Jared was worried that they would succeed in keeping Jensen from him. It was hard to fight an enemy you couldn’t see. And it was clear Jensen cared deeply for his fellow fae, even as they continued to warn him of the dangers of spending too much time with Jared.</p><p>Jared went shopping for something, anything, to give Jensen for Christmas that wasn’t too schmalzy, or cutesy, or corny. He realized something as he wandered around yet another department store looking at bracelets, and cologne, and wallets and feeling kind of desperate because nothing was right, nothing was good enough for Jensen.  </p><p>He had fallen in love with Jensen.</p><p>He had never been in love before. He had never realized that love was joy and fear and wonder and excitement and nervousness all bundled up together.</p><p>He couldn’t wait to see Jensen again and tell him.</p><p>Or not tell him, because what if Jensen didn’t feel the same? </p><p>Could it ever work between a fae and a nobody like him? </p><p>Somewhere along the line, his life had veered from a young adult novel to a lifetime movie. </p><p>And he was still the heroine.</p><p>In the end, Jared got Jensen a guitar. It was a second hand one, acoustic, one meant for beginners. He thought the simplicity of it might appeal to Jensen.</p><p>Jensen would probably hate it.</p><p>Jared knew there were no televisions where the faes lived, no vehicles, no telephones, nothing modern, or as Jensen phrased it, human-made. They lived simply. Jensen understood what all these things were, had watched television with Jared, played games with him. But Jensen liked simple things, and this guitar was probably too much of Jared’s world to fit into Jensen’s.</p><p>Still, it was paid for and there were no returns so he couldn’t take it back and he still had to buy presents for his Mom so this was all he could give Jensen.</p><p>A few days passed, no Jensen.</p><p>Semester finals were over, they were now halfway through the school year. Jared’s table in the lunchroom on the last day of school before Christmas break was loud and boisterous, so many people sitting at the table that they were jammed close together. So different than when he, had first arrived at the school.</p><p>Still, Jared couldn’t help scanning the lunchroom over and over, searching the hallways, looking for Jensen. There were no flowers in his locker, no teasing or steamy notes left in his backpack. No sign of Jensen.</p><p>They had been watching Christmas movies together in anticipation of Jensen experiencing his first Christmas. Jared had chosen a wide variety; Miracle on 34th Street, the Home Alone movies, the Grinch, even a few Hallmark movies in case Jensen needed a few ideas on how to be extra specially romantic. Watching them alone just made Jared feel lonely and sad.</p><p>He was already in bed on Christmas Eve, willing his brain to stop obsessively thinking about Jensen long enough to fall asleep, when he felt him.</p><p>He sat up in bed, heart thumping, eyes bright with anticipation.</p><p>The air shimmered, and then Jensen was there.</p><p>Jared propelled himself out of bed and wrapped his arms around Jensen and hugged him tightly.</p><p>Jensen was laughing as he hugged Jared back. “I guess you missed me,” he said, voice breathless and a little strangled.</p><p>Jared reluctantly released his hold on Jensen. “I thought you were gone forever.”</p><p>Jensen’s eyes looked a little sad for just a moment and then widened as he looked Jared up and down.</p><p>It was at that moment that Jared remembered what he was wearing, which was only a teeny tiny pair of briefs with a big red Santa right across his crotch.</p><p>Jared’s face was as red as the Santa as he quickly picked up a kinda-not-dirty shirt off the floor and hurriedly pulled it on as he looked around for his sweatpants.</p><p>Jensen sat down on the bed. “No need to get dressed on my account, I was enjoying the view, Santa.”</p><p>“Shut up,” Jared said, still blushing as he sat down beside Jensen, pulling on a pair of sweats.</p><p>“I’ve been a very good boy,” Jensen said teasingly, as he rubbed a hand over Jared’s knee. “Don’t I get to sit on Santa’s lap?”</p><p>He kissed Jared, as his hand moved closer to Jared’s crotch.</p><p>Jared squirmed, now even more embarrassed that not-so-little Jared was beginning to perk up and pay attention.</p><p>They had kissed, made out, there had even been a little touching while shirtless, but nothing below the belt yet.</p><p>Jared snaked an arm around Jensen’s shoulders and pulled him into a deeper kiss. Every time they kissed, it was like the first time, the buzzy high feeling coursing through Jared, the hunger and the want, the feeling that he could never get enough of kissing Jensen, not even if they lived a thousand years.</p><p>It was Jensen who pulled away first. </p><p>“We’ve got to stop,” he said, his lips shiny and a little swollen. “Before things go too far.”</p><p>Jared reached for Jensen again. “I’m all for going too far,” he murmured against Jensen’s lips. “I’m all for going all the way.”</p><p>He felt Jensen stiffen and immediately let him go, his flushed cheeks reflecting the guilt and disappointment he felt.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” they said at the same time.</p><p>Jared shook his head. “I’m the one who is sorry. I don’t want you ever to think you have to do anything that you don’t want to do.”</p><p>“You are a fool if you don’t think I want to,” Jensen said, pulling Jared into a soft kiss. “But I can’t, not until I know I can fully commit.”</p><p>Jared wrinkled his nose. “Until marriage? Because I don’t want to get married until I’m too old to have fun anymore, and thirty is way too old to be a virgin.”</p><p>Jensen laughed. “I promise to save you from being a thirty-year-old virgin.”</p><p>“Jared, are you talking to someone?” Jared’s mother's voice, was close to the door. Jared panicked before remembering she wouldn’t be able to see Jensen even if she opened it.</p><p>“No, Mom. Sorry, I couldn’t sleep so I turned the tv on. I’ll turn it off now.”</p><p>“I’ll make you some hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows,” his mother offered. “You’ve always been the same, too keyed up the night before Christmas to sleep.”</p><p>Jensen mouthed marshmallows; Jared poked him in the side.</p><p>“No, I’m fine,” Jared called back. “I’m feeling sleepy now.”</p><p>“You'd better really be going to bed,” Jared’s mother warned. “Otherwise, you might never find out what Santa brought you. Sleep tight, Jared.”</p><p>“And here I thought you were Santa,” Jensen teased, as soon as Jared’s mother’s footsteps faded. “But instead, you are just a boy so excited about seeing Santa that you need your mother’s hot chocolate to sleep.”</p><p>“Have I ever told you that I hate you?” Jared asked, petulantly.</p><p>“Did you leave Santa milk and cookies?” Jensen asked and then immediately laughed when Jared looked away guiltily. “Oh, my goodness, you did.”</p><p>“It’s a tradition, okay?” Jared mumbled.</p><p>“Don’t pout Jay, I think it’s cute,” Jensen said, lifting Jared’s chin with a finger and giving his lips another sweet kiss.</p><p>For a moment, they just looked in each other's eyes, and even though Jared knew how dopey they were being, he still sat there, staring into Jensen’s beautiful eyes, and holding his hand, feeling ridiculously happy.</p><p>Then Jensen sighed, and that sad look Jared had glimpsed when Jensen first appeared was back and Jared felt cold.</p><p>“What is it?” he asked.</p><p>“I have a gift for you,” Jensen said, reaching into his pocket.</p><p>“Oh, oh, I can’t believe I almost forgot. I have one for you too,” Jared exclaimed, standing up and hurrying to the closet where he had hidden it. He handed the awkwardly wrapped present to Jensen. “Open mine first, it’s stupid.”</p><p>Jensen unwrapped Jared’s gift and stared at the guitar.</p><p>“I told you it was stupid. I can just take it back and – “</p><p>Jensen clutched it to his chest. “Don’t you dare. It’s perfect. And it’s just what I need to take along on my journey. This way I will have music wherever I go.”</p><p>“Journey?” Jared asked puzzled, but still bouncing up and down because Jensen actually liked his gift.</p><p>“Shh, we don’t want to wake up your mother again,” Jensen said softly. “Sit, I have a gift and something I need to tell you.”</p><p>“This sounds kind of ominous,” Jared said, sitting as requested.</p><p>“It’s not, not really,” Jensen replied, which did nothing to ease the tight feeling forming in Jared’s chest. </p><p>He pulled a necklace from his pocket. The chain was silver, and at the end of it was what Jared recognized as the Celtic triquerta symbol, and where the triangles interlocked there was something green, glowing.</p><p>Jared traced the symbol with his fingers, it radiated heat but did not burn him. “The light in the center reminds me of the flowers.”</p><p>Jensen nodded. “I’ve taken the essence of one of them, I’ll explain why in just a moment. I cannot bring you to my world, it is forbidden, and I would not even if I could, because you have family, friends, a life here. I cannot stay in yours as things are now. The other fae where I live, except for the observer I told you about, are very determined that our visits should stop. They have gone so far as to try to bind me to my world, which is why I have not been able to visit these last several days. The binding spell failed in the end because our magic is such that we cannot harm another and being kept from you was harming me.”</p><p>“They hurt you?” Jared asked, angry that anyone would harm someone as good and as kind as Jensen.</p><p>“Not physically. Not on purpose. They are afraid you will hurt me, you see, although I know your heart and know that would be impossible.” Jensen smiled at Jared, but the smile was sad like his eyes. “The hour is late, and I’ve promised to return, so I want to tell you about the necklace before I go. I am to go on a journey. I do not know how long it will take me. so I have given you this,” Jensen said, indicating the necklace. “As long as the light glows from the will o’ the-wisp inside the circle, you will know that I live. When it radiates heat, as it does now, you will know that I am near. Keep it close to your heart, and I will feel you wherever I am.”</p><p>“I don’t like the sound of this,” Jared said, pulling the necklace over his head and settling it against his chest. ”Why do you need to go?”</p><p>“Timron has long ago hidden from my kind, overwhelmed by the requests and the needs of my brethren. No one has seen him for longer than I have lived, but I know where to search for him. Only he can remove this cloaking spell from me, can give me what I need so I can live with you.”</p><p>“But you told me he created that spell hundreds of years ago,” Jared replied. “How long do fae live?”</p><p>Jensen smiled. “A story for another time, as I must be on my way.” He leaned over, kissed Jared on the lips. “Until we meet again.”</p><p>“Wait!” Jared grabbed a hold of Jensen’s hand. “How dangerous is this journey?  When will I see you again?”</p><p>Jensen pulled his hand gently out of Jared’s grasp, leaned down and this kiss was harder, tinged with desperation. “I will find my way back to you,” Jensen whispered against his lips. “And then, if the fates are kind, we will never be parted again.”</p><p>Jared watched with tears forming his eyes as Jensen picked up the guitar and began to fade from his view. “Merry Christmas, Jared,” he said, and Jared could see he was crying too, and then he was gone, and Jared was alone in the room.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Time has a habit of moving on, whether your heart hurts or not.</p><p>The Celtic circle went cold the minute Jensen disappeared, and it remained so stubbornly, no matter how many times Jared held it in his hands and wished it to warm, to signal Jensen’s presence.</p><p>Winter gave way to Spring. The basketball team did make it to state, losing the final game in a heart-rending defeat to a bigger and more well-funded school. But still, Chad bragged unendingly about being the first team to make it to the state playoffs in just over a decade. Jared was credited for being responsible in large part for the unprecedented winning streak that led them to state, even though he always pointed out that it was a team effort. It was nice to be liked, but it didn't ease the pain of missing Jensen.</p><p>One night in late April, Jared woke with a start, heart pumping wildly in his chest.  Something was wrong. </p><p>He pulled off the necklace, stared at it. The light in the circle was blinking erratically, instead of the cool steady light it normally gave. As Jared watched the light, helplessly, it began to fade for a few seconds, before flickering back into its unsteady blinking.</p><p>Jensen was in danger; Jared knew that with absolute certainty. Just as he knew that there was nothing he could do to help.</p><p>The light faded again, so faint now that Jared could barely see it.</p><p>“Stay with me,” Jared whispered. “You promised that if ever I needed you, you would come. I need you.”</p><p>The light flickered, faded, flickered to life again.</p><p>“Don't leave me,” Jared pleaded. </p><p>The light steadily grew stronger, brighter, until it returned to the steady glowing light it had always been.</p><p>Jared was still clutching the necklace in his hand when he fell back into a fitful sleep.</p><p>Graduation was now a week away, and to Justine’s very vocal disappointment, Jared had indeed replaced her as Valedictorian.  </p><p>Jared had been accepted to every college he applied to and had made his decision. He would be headed to Austin in late summer.</p><p>Tonight was the prom. Jared was standing outside of the school gym’s parking lot, trying to decide whether or not he wanted to go back in.</p><p>If his life really was a romance novel. Jensen would appear at the prom, and he would walk up to Jared as the crowd parted and made way for him, then he would hold out his hand to Jared and -</p><p>It had been five months now. Maybe it was time to face the truth - Jensen was never coming back to him.</p><p>He pulled down the sleeves of his powder blue tux and thought about how upset his Mom would be if he didn’t go back in. She had been so proud and happy as she had taken pictures of him and Chad, who had been his normal hyper goofy self.</p><p>Chad was in there, now, being the life of the prom.</p><p>Jared had made it five minutes, before mumbling something about needing air.  </p><p>A sea of happy couples, holding hands and dancing together and sneaking kisses when the chaperone’s eyes were elsewhere.</p><p>He fingered the necklace, hidden underneath his dress shirt, and steeled himself to return to that room full of happy couples and pretend that he wasn’t so lonely that he ached.</p><p>It was then he realized that the necklace felt warm against his chest.</p><p>He pulled the necklace out of its confines as he looked around for any sign of Jensen.</p><p>It wasn’t as warm as it had been on Christmas Eve, but it was definitely warm.</p><p>Of course, that could be because it was a warm night, and Jared was sweating, per usual, but still…</p><p>He could feel Jensen, suddenly, just as if he were standing right beside him. Jensen was close.</p><p>Jared could feel himself being pulled, the same way that Jensen had described to him, and, without hesitation, he followed where something (someone?) was leading him.</p><p>Out of the parking lot, down the same street he had walked every day after school, toward the woods.</p><p>In the daytime, the woods were scary enough. Jared had not been in them since the day he had gotten lost in them.</p><p>It was pitch black now, the trees were ominous dark towering shapes against the sky.</p><p>He didn’t want to go in them. </p><p>But that was where he was being led.</p><p>He stepped into the trees despite his fear of the dark shapes, eerie noises.</p><p>Jensen needed him.</p><p>He pushed past branches and shrubs, ignored crackling noises that sounded way too close, (bears didn't crackle, did they?) went deeper and deeper into the woods where there was no light, where he had to hold his hands in front of him to keep from walking right into the trees.</p><p>He didn’t know how long he walked, but he was breathing heavily with exertion when he began catching glimpses of little green lights through the trees.</p><p>He followed them to a clearing.</p><p>Where he was standing, wildflowers were beginning to bloom and the grass was just beginning to get high.</p><p>In front of him, the air shimmered as it did right before Jensen appeared to him, but instead of the shimmering being contained to a small area, it went on for as long as Jared could see.</p><p>And behind the shimmer, Jensen stood, surrounded by others who must be fae like him.</p><p>There were flowers everywhere on their side, many different colors, but the lights Jared had followed were from the flowers grasped in Jensen’s hands. His flowers, their flowers. Will-o’-the-wisps.</p><p>Somehow, the fae were keeping Jensen from him.</p><p>Standing to the side, a man stood, crippled over with age, a white beard so long it touched the ground. Timron, Jared thought.</p><p>He remembered Jensen’s words, how the fae could not harm anyone intentionally.  They were trying to save Jensen from him, from his world.  </p><p>Jared stepped forward. </p><p>They all turned toward him and stared.</p><p>“Hi, I’m, uh Jared,” Jared began, raising his hand and giving a wave because even when faced with the fae, he was still at his core a dork. </p><p>“Jared,” Jensen said, eyes bright and smiling. “You came.”</p><p>“I came,” Jared confirmed. “I felt you, and I had to find you. I’ve come to bring you home.”</p><p>“Human,” a woman said. “You can’t trust them, Jensen, no matter how appealing their form is. Jensen’s home is with us, human. Leave him be.”</p><p>“As I have said, many times, Jared will not harm me,” Jensen said to her. </p><p>“I couldn’t,” Jared stated. “I wouldn’t. Please, let him cross. I am lost without him.”</p><p>“And I without him,” Jensen said to the woman. “I know you mean well Maire, but you must let me cross.”</p><p>“To what end?” Maire snapped. “Timron has not released you from the spell, you will be nothing but mist over there. What kind of life will you have? We will cherish you here, as we always have, over there you will be nothing.”</p><p>Jared turned his attention to Timron, who had been silent this whole time, still standing apart from the others. “He is my intended, I know you know what that means, what it will mean to both of us if Jensen can’t cross over.”</p><p>“I had an intended once,” the old man stated. “She was burned at the stake, with two of my brethren.”</p><p>“I am sorry about that, sorry about what my forefathers put you through. But I am not them. And Jensen is not reckless, he will be careful with his magic. We can make this work. I don’t know what he went through to find you, but you do. He spent months looking for you. He brought you here. He called me here. Please, help him to cross.”</p><p>Jensen walked up to the old man, dropped down on one knee. “If it be your will, let me be with him.”</p><p>“I see your heart is set,” Maire said. “I will not stand in your way any longer. Know what I’ve done, I’ve done for love.”</p><p>She waved her hand and sparks flew and Jensen, from where he was kneeling, visibly relaxed as if something Jared couldn't see had been lifted off of him.</p><p>“I will miss you,” she said and laid a kiss on top of Jensen’s head. “But I grow weary of this fight. If you must go, go with my blessing.”</p><p>A few other fae murmured their agreement, patting Jensen’s shoulder or ruffling his hair, before taking their leave.</p><p>The old man sighed. “You both are young and foolish,” he said. “But I can find no guile in your young man, no malicious intent. I still think you are walking a dangerous path, but I will not keep you from it.”</p><p>Now the only two there were Jensen and Timron. Timron reached down, and with surprising strength, pulled Jensen into a standing position. He took one of Jensen’s hands and gave it to Jared. Their hands clasped. The air was no longer shimmering, nothing separated them.</p><p>“Take good care of each other,” he said, and then he faded away.</p><p>“It’s over?” Jared asked. “You can be with me now?”</p><p>Jensen reached up and pulled Jared into him. Jared went willingly, making himself smaller so he could lay his head on Jensen’s shoulders, could melt into Jensen’s embrace. “I am yours, for as long as you want me.” </p><p>Jared pulled far enough away that he could kiss Jensen, let everything he was feeling come out in the desperation of the kiss. “Forever then,” Jared declared.</p><p>“Sounds almost long enough,” Jensen said, and his lips were on Jared’s again. Jared was desperate to touch Jensen everywhere, to confirm that Jensen was really there, alive, whole. He had a thousand questions about Jensen's journey, and what had happened in April when the necklaces’s light had almost flickered out. But all that could wait.</p><p>He pulled Jensen off the ground, spun him around until they were both dizzy and breathless, and they tumbled onto the ground, still wrapped in each other's arms.</p><p>It was dawn before they made it out of the woods.</p>
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